[Study of the therapeutic activity of fentonium in gastroduodenal ulcer]

Personal experience with phentonium, a new synthetic synaptolytic, in the treatment of 26 patients with gastric or duodenal ulcerous conditions and of 4 other patients with gastroduodenitis is reported. Some subjective symptoms (pain, pyrosis, etc.) were taken into consideration and radiographic controls were carried out before and after treatment in order to determine the effect on the evolution of the ulcer niche. Phentonium was administered initially in all cases by the parenteral route (intravenous or intramuscular) in the dose of 10, 20 or 40 mg daily, according to the clinical picture, in one or two divided doses for varying periods (on the average 25 days) and in half the cases treatment was continued by the oral route at the dose of 60-80 mg daily (3-4 tablets) for about 20 days; in 3 cases treatment was continued by the oral route at the dose of 60-80 mg daily (3-4 tablets) for about 20 days; in 3 cases treatment was continued respectively for 5, 14 and 15 months. The therapeutic effect was evaluated as very favourable in 24 cases, discrete in 4 cases, scarce or absent in 2 cases. The time of disappearance or marked attenuation of the symptoms was very brief. The general tolerability of the preparation was excellent. On the basis of the observations made, it is concluded that phentonium represents an effective drug with a high therapeutic index in the treatment of ulcerous disease.